I HAVE watched with some interest the on-going planning 'battle' between the residents of Albert Road, Ledbury, the developers and the planning officers of Hereford-shire Council.

This planning application was refused by Herefordshire councillors at the northern area planning committee on April 30. They had the easy part to play; their decision to refuse was based on the evidence laid before the committee, not only by the protesters from Albert Road but by Ledbury town councillors, two of whom took up the fight and spoke on behalf of the Albert Road protesters.

Coun Keith Francis and Coun Peter Watts should both be thanked for all the hard work and effort put into obtaining this result.

But I fear other applications of the same ilk are in the pipeline.

An application has been received for a plot of land behind Longacres to be developed. The Albert Road application may have just been a skirmish ahead of the true battle. Because once there is no more land for possible 'infill' planning applications within Ledbury town, there could be just cause by the developers and planners to want to develop the 'other side' of the bypass.

The developer's new tool is the 'infill' site. There can be no doubt the Government policy-makers never envisaged that the implementation of this policy by land hungry developers would be used so contentiously in its possible application. It was, I feel, not properly thought out to its final conclusion by Government ministers in their safe ivory towers. The end result of this policy can be a small enclave or a slum of the future being built, the impact of which on the nearby residents would be incalculable, especially in areas which are totally unsuitable for this type of development, e.g. Ledbury.

These developments must be resisted with all vigour as they can change the charm and characteristics of a small market town like Ledbury forever.

CHARLES STEVEN WICKHAM, Deer Park, Ledbury.